Possible to Cook Roadkill?

So the other day, I bought this chicken from hyvee, and i didn't realize what the due date was. So 3 days after it was supposed to be cooked (it started to smell a little funny) i throw it in the crock pot and set it on high for 5 hours.

I get back from class, and my roommates are complaining because the apartment smells like ammonia and rotten eggs, lol. It didn't seem that bad to me, though, so I ate a couple legs, and I didn't get sick.

So now, I'm thinking that no matter how old/rotten/e. coli-infested the meat is, if you cook it in the crock pot long enough, it should sterilize it and make it edible, right?

No, you can still get sick. Not all food related illness is bacteria related. There is still the possibility of mould spores, more advanced viruses and what have you that will **** your day up even after cooking for a while.

Eating off meat doesn't only make you ill due to the normal bacteria (E. coli and the like). Toxins released by bacteria are unlikely to be destroyed by heating, and will make you ill. Also, there are a fair few forms of bacteria and viruses, as well as cyst-borne parasites, that won't be destroyed by heating.

Plus, food loses it's nutritional value as it rots as the nutrients are used by bacteria and detritus-feeders. Not only can you get ill by eating off meat, but there can be literally no reason to do so because it has no value to the body.